Valvular controlling means



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3 1952 LE RoY 8. DE MART VALVULAR CONTROLLING MEANS Filed NOV. 17, 1948 Patented Dec. 30, 1952 VALVULAR CONTROLLING MEANS Le Roy S. De Mart, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Ohio Application November 17, 1918, Serial No. 60,435

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to controlling means for fluid-operable mechanism. A primary object of the invention is to provide novel and improved valvular controlling means especially adapted to control a sequence of operations as for example to control the times of starting, stopping and reversal, or other changes of driving rate, of fluid motors or other fluid actuated elements adapted to perform in a cyclic or sequential manner.

A more specific object is to provide improved valvular controlling means for fluid actuatable motor means or the like, where the functioning of the controlled device or devices is variable in a predetermined manner or pattern, as for example a controlled fluid motor may be reversible in accordance with the manner of delivery of the actuating fiuid thereto, the valvular means of the present invention providing improved, sim plifled and highly reliable means for controlling the action of such a reversible or other variable drive fluid actuatable motor.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved valvular controlling means whereby the action of a controlled motor may be regulated, for example, to change the direction of drive, in a novel and improved manner, and whereby the fluid which serves to actuate the motor or other driven elements is automatically by-passed through the valve and directed away from the motor when the desired operating cycle of the motor is completed, novel means additionally being provided whereby the valving mechanism may be automatically reset after completion of the operating cycle. By virtue of this arrangement, a motor or other controlled device maybe operated automatically through a predetermined cycle, or if desired, supervisory manual control may be exercised in such manner as to change the normal or intended sequence of cyclic operations, but regardless of whether a preceding cycle has been automatically controlled or manually altered or supervised, subsequently initiated cycles of operation will be resumed on the automatically controlled basis each time the mechanism is restarted.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide valvular means for controlling the action of a reversible fluid motor, which valvular means is of very simple, rugged and reliable construction, and which provides for the reversing of a controlled motor or the like merely by the movement of a single valve.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent upon consideration of the present clisclosure in its entirety. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a valve assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 buton a somewhat larger scale, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional detailed view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram.

Referring now to the drawings, reference character It designates generally a valve casing of generally flat rectangular form, the valve elements therein being arranged in substantially coplanar relation and being shown as of the poppet type.

A dual valve assembly consisting of valve heads 22, 24 and stem 28 is transversely arranged within one end of the casing. This assembly is shown as near the top in Figure 2, although it will be understood that the valve mechanism is adapted to be, used in any position, and that the terms top, bottom, right, left, etc., are used merely with reference to the positions of the parts as shown on the accompanying drawings. The valve heads 22, 24 are slidable in coaxial cylindrical chambers l2, l4, chamber l2 being located near the left side of the casing, and valve chamber [4 near the right side of the casing. Chambers !2, M are joined at their inner ends by a coaxial connecting passage it which communicates with an exhaust port It which opens through the rear face of the casing. The cylindrical valve chambers l2, [4 are closed at their outer ends as by means of conventional plugs i8 and 20. Valves 22, 24 may be formed of relatively resilient plastic such as synthetic rubber or other suitable material and are adapted to bear against and seal off corresponding opposed seat portions 25, 26, respectively, formed at the inner ends of the chambers l2, I l and constituting in effect the outer ends of the central passage 15. The valves 22, 24 are mounted upon a common axial valve stem 28 which extends freely through the central passage l5.

Valve chamber 12 is connected at its outer end by a downwardly extending passage 32 to a cylindrical valve chamber 34 which, as shown, may be arranged substantially in axially coplanar relation with respect to chambers [2, Hi, IE, but perpendicular to and directly beneath and relatively close to the chamber l2. Valve chamber 34 contains two opposed seats and a vertical 3 poppet valve movable up and down therein to seat either against an upper seat 36 or a lower seat 38. When the valve 35 bears against the upper seat 36, it closes on communication between the inlet 33 formed in the left side of the casing and the passage 32. When valve 35 bears against the lower seat portion 36, it permits such communication but closes off a passage which is open to the inlet when the valve is raised and which extends downwardly from the chamber 34 to communicate with a lateral passage 42 extending transversely of the valve casing. Valve 35 is fast upon a stem 44 which extends downwardly through the bottom of the valve casing and may be provided as'at 45 with a threaded or other suitably contoured end portion adapted to be actuated by any suitable apparatus which may be connected thereto, or which may be provided with a button or other suitable means for convenient manual operation of the valve. As shown in the drawings, stem 4d extends through and is sealed with respect to a removable threaded guide bushing 45 which is also tightly fitted in and sealed with respect to the casing and which may be large enough so that the entire valve assembly is removable from the lower end of the casing with the guide bushing. To faciiltate such removal of the valve, the lower seat 33 is formed upon a hollow cylindrical cage 48 which may as shown be formed integrally with the bushing portion it. Gage portion 48 is provided with a toroidal or other suitable sealing gasket so and during installation of the bushing and cage assembly is adapted to slide into sealed engagement with a bore portion 52 formed in the casing above lateral passage 42 as a downward coaxial continuation of the chamber 34. It will be appreciated that by virtue of this arrangement, the entire valve, cage and guide bushing assembly can be inserted in the valve casing as a unit, and removed in like fashion in event of any necessary servicing, inspection or replacement. The cage portion dB is provided with openings 55 in its lower end to afiford communication between space do under the valve 35 and the lateral passage 42.

Passage 42 extends angularly upwardly to communication with a valve chamber 55 which may be positioned parallel to the valve chamber 34 and in a corresponding position near the opposite side of the casing. Chamber 55 contains valve member 56 similarly mounted and vertically operable by means of a downwardly projecting valve stem 58.

A passage to similar in arrangement to the passage 52 connects the valve chambers I4, 55 and terminates at its lower end in a valve seat portion 62 against which the valve 55 is adapted to bear when it is in its upper position. When in its lowered position, the valve 55 bears against a bottom seat 54 carried by a cage portion 66 analogous to the cag portion 48 previously described, the space 58 under the valve and within the cage communicating through the orifices it in the cage with a chamber I2 and an outlet port it to which a suitable conduit is adapted to be connected.

The valves 35 and 563 are urged downwardly by helical compression springs l1, 75, which may be mounted upon their respective valve stems so, 58 outside the casing to urge the stems and valves downwardly as shown.

'The valve construction illustratively depicted herein is designed for air operation and to control the action of a reversible air motor such as is employed to drive a rotatable soot blower. It will be understood that the soot blower may be of the type which is also projectable, and that the projection and retraction thereof may also be powered by the same air motor, or by a separate air motor. In Figure 5, I have diagrammatically shown the principal related components of a control system for such a soot blower. A suitable soot blower construction is shown in my copending application Serial No. 766,183, filed August 5, 1947, and in Howse Patent No. 2,442,045, while the other components of the control system are disclosed in a copending application of Curtis L. Howse, Serial No. 88,854, filed April 21, 1949, now Patent No. 2,565,689.

As shown in Figure 5, a source of air ressure, shown as a tank 80, is connected to a diaphragmoperable valve 82 by means of a conduit 84, which is in turn connected to the inlet 53 or the valve casing II) by a conduit 85. The valve casing also incorporates a port 86 extending through its front face and communicating with the valve chamber I2 and which is adapted to be connected by a conduit 88 to the air motor 9%. A similar port 92 opening into the valve chamber I4 is adapted to be connected to the other terminal connection of the air motor 90 as by the conduit 94.

The outlet port 14 of the valve casing is connected by means of a conduit I3 to a pressure reducin orifice plate 15 which is in turn connected by a conduit F6 to a control valve generally designated 18.

The air pressure in the tank 86 may be at the desired motor operating pressure, which may be of the order of lbs. per square inch, and this pressure may be maintained by any suitable means not necessary to consider here. Air

under pressure from the tank is also led through a conduit I06 to a pressure reducing valve I62 which may drop the pressure to a suitable control pressure which may be of the order of 35 lbs. per square inch. A conduit I04 conducts reduced pressure air from the pressure reducing valve I02 to aport I55 of valve 18.

Port IE5 is formed as a pocket in one end of valve casing 78 and contains a ball valve I66 which is urged by a spring m8 against a seat portion H0 formed at the bottom of .the

pocket. An axially drilled hole H2 extends longitudinally through the casing from the bottom of the pocket and a rod H4 is loosely fitted in the hole. The hole H2 communicates and is coaxial with a cylindrical chamber H5 formed in the opposite end of the casing. Chamber H5 contains a ball valve H5 adapted to seat against a seat portion H8 corresponding to seat portion H0, such seat portions forming the opposite extremities of the reduced central hole H2. The rod H4 is somewhat longer than the distance between the seats H0, H8, so that only one of the valve balls can be seated at a time. A central lateral port I20 communicates with the drilled hole H2 and conduit "E6 is connected to this port. An exhaust port I22 connects the chamber H5 to atmosphere. A plunger I24 is slidable in chamber H5 and projects from the end of the casing. Plunger I24 is engageable by a pivoted actuating arm I25, normally urged away from .the plunger by a compression spring I26, but the arm may be manually moved against the efiort of this spring to swing pivotally inwardly about its fixed supporting pin I28 to urge the valve ball H6 against'its seat, while at the same time unseating the ball I06 against the effort of the spring I08. When the arm I25 is released, it swings outwardly and valve I05 closes, while the valve II6 opens, being pushed off its seat by the spring I03 acting through the ball I05 and rod H4.

The valve is adapted to be held in the position in which valve I06 is opened, to estab lish communication between the reduced pressure air source from the reducing valve I02 and the conduit I25, by latching means including a latching dog I30 rockably mountedupon a pivot pin I32 and having a laterally projecting beveled end I34 engageable by and adapted to overengage the correspondingly beveled end I35 of the arm I25 when the arm is pushed into the position shown in Figure 5. A latch spring I36 of the tension type is shown ccnnecting 3, lateral arm I38 formed integrally with the arm I30 to a fixed abutment, which may comprise the bellows diaphragm chamber I40. Chamber I40 may be mounted as a unit with the valve body I8 and contains a bellows diaphragm I42 having a head portion I44 to which a release pin I45 is attached. The release pin projects from one end of the casing I40. A spring I40 within the bellows diaphragm biases it to the extended condition in which the stem M5 is retracted. In such retracted position, the stem does not interfere with :the latch position of the latch piece I35, but when the bellows diaphragm is collapsed, the pin is projected against the arm I38 and forces it and the connected latch portion I34 to a. position :to release the arm I25. The bellows diaphragm chamber within the casing I40 is connected by a conduit I50 to the conduit it, so that when the pressure in line is high enough, the bellows is collapsed and the latch piece moved to unlatched position.

The control assembly may also include means for connecting the reduced pressure air from the pressure reducing valve I02 to any one of several kick-off valves corresponding to the valve 18, and each such other kick-off valve may be connected to a system analogous to :the one herein disclosed. The kick-off valve, when the unit is to operate, transmits the reduced pressure air, which may be of the order of 35 lbs. per square inch to the conduit I5. The conduit I6 is referred to as the control line and the reduced air pressure is referred to as the control air. When the unit is to be started, the arm I25 is pushed in, as by pressure against the pad portion I21 formed thereon, to latch the valve I05 in the open position and the valve II 6 closed. Control air pressure is then delivered to the line it. The spring I46 in the bellows diaphragm is of such strength that the stem I45 cannot be projected to release the latch by the control air pressure. The control air enters the upper portion of the diaphragm chamber I05 of the diaphragm-operable valve 82 and opens such valve.

Upon the opening of valve 82, air from the tank 80 at higher pressure, which may be of the order of 80 lbs. per square inch, passes through the conduit 85 to the inlet 33 of valve casing I0. Valve 35 is at this time in the down position, and. the air passes through passage 32 to cylinder I2 urging valve 22 to the right and holding it against its seat 25. The air leaves the cylinder I2 through the side outlet opening 85 thereof, from which it is conducted to the air motor 90 through conduit 88 to drive the motor in a direction which may be considered the forward direction. The air from the exhaust of the motor returns to the front opening 92 of. valve casing I0 through conduit 94, enters cylinder I 4, in which cylinder the valve 24 is off its seat 25 so that the air passes cylinder I4 and passage I5 to exhaust opemng I5, from which its is discharged to atmosphere.

When the motor i to be reversed, valve 35 is moved upwardly, by pressure exerted upon its stem 44, and the valve then closes passage 32 by engagement with seat 35. The air entering the inlet 33 then passes under the valve and through passages 40, 42, over the valve 55 which is then in its lowered position, and into the outer end of cylinder I4 through passage 50. The pressure of this air maintains the valve 35 raised and tightly sealed against its seat 35 against the effort of the spring I7 and the valve 24 is moved to the left by the air entering cylinder I4. This unseats the valve 22 while sealing the valve 24 against the seat 25. The motor is thereby reversed, air being delivered to the motor from the cylinder I4 through port 82 and conduit 94 and returned from the motor 55 to the exhaust port I5 by way of conduit 88, port 56, cylinder I2 and passage I5.

When reverse rotation of the motor is completed and it i desired to end the cycle of operation of the motor, valve 55 is lifted from its seat 54 into contact with the upper seat 52, valve 35 remaining in the up position. The air pressure then also maintains the valve 55 raised against its upper seat and the air passes under the valve 56 and through passage 58 to outlet port i4, no air then being delivered to the motor. From outlet port I4, the high pressure air is conducted through conduit 73 and an orifice member 15 to conduit l5 which is connected to the kick-01f valve I8. As previously stated, the pressure during the operation of the motor and prior to the lifting of valve 55 is at a reduced value, which may be of the order of 35 lbs. per square inch, in the line I5, but upon the delivery of the high pressure air through the orifice member l5 to the line 15 in response to lifting of the valve 55, the pressure builds up in the line l5, and so in the line I50 and in bellows diaphragm casing I40. The spring I45 is so calibrated as to allow the stem I45 to be projected to release the latch when the pressure in the casing 545 reaches approximately 55 lbs. per square inch, which pressure can be developed through the orifice I5 when both of the valves 35, 55 are released. The stem I45 accordingly releases the latch piece I35 and the arm I25 swings outwardly closing the valve I05 and interrupting communication between the low pressure air source and line l5, andventing line E5 to atmosphere through port I20, passage II2, chamber H5, and exhaust port I22. When the pressure relief valve H5 opens, the line I6 is vented more rapidly than the pressure therein can be maintained through the orifice member I5, and the pressure accordingly drops in the diaphragm chamber I05 allowing the valve 82 to close and shutting off the high pressure air to the valve casing I0. Air delivery from the lower pressure source through the conduit I04 having previously been interrupted at valve I05, as stated, all air to the system is cut off, and. when the pressure drops sufficiently, valve 35, 55 are pulled to their lowered positions by their springs I1, I9.

It will be appreciated that all of the valves and. the plunger I45 are thus automatically reset so that whenever the low pressure or control air is again delivered to the line I5 through the valve I06, the diaphragm valve 82 is opened by such low pressure air, and air is again delivered to the valve casing ID from the high pressure source to recommence the operating cycle. .A normally open check valve II? is connected by a. branch conduit I I9 to conduit I3. Check valve II'I closes when high pressure air i delivered thereto, but opens when the pressure in the line I3 is low. Check valve II! is designed to be open when line .73 .is at the control air pressure, which is'of the order of 35-40 lbs. per square inch, and to be closed when the higher, motoroperating pressure of the order of 80 lbs. per square inch is present in line I3. If there should be any'leakage past the valve 56 when the motor is operating, therefore, valve II'I prevents a build-up of pressure in control line I5.

At one extreme limit of the desired rotary movement of the motor 90, an arm I55 drivable by the motor strikes a plunger I56 engageable with a double-armed rocking lever I58 pivoted upon a fixed axis represented by a pin I60 in a position between and aligned with valve stem portions 44, 58. Lever I60 has stem actuating pad portions I52, I 3 engageable with the lower extremities of the stems M, 58 respectively. It may be assumed that it is desired always to start the motor when it is in a position corresponding tothat in which the arm I55 is close to the plunger I56 and that arm I55 rotates clockwise from such position until it engages the plunger I66, forcing such plunger downwardly to rock the double arm lever I58 in a direction to lift stem 44 and valve 35. This reverses the motor, as previously explained, and the arm I 55 accordingly reverses and turns counterclockwise until it engages the plunger I56, forcing the same downwardly to lift the stem 58 and valve 55. This stops the motor and diverts the high pressure air to the control line to trip the latch piece I30 and shut down the system. As the air escapes from the system and from the motor 90, the descent of the valve 56 returns the lever I58 and the plunger I58 to their inoperative positions shown in Figure 5, arm I55 being thereby moved slightly by the spring I9. It will be appreciated that the mechanical details of these valve actuating parts are subject to wide variation and are shown more or less diagrammatically, since in themselves they do not form a part of my present invention.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfillv the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Valvular controlling means comprising a valve body structure having a single inlet and three outlets, a diverting valve connected to the inlet and movable to connect said inlet to either of a pair of branching fluid conduit portions, means operatively connecting one of said branching conduit portions to one of said outlets, a second diverting valve connected to the other of said branching conduit portions and movable to connect said other branching conduit portion to either of the other two outlets, andtwo exhaust controlling valve elements, one connected to each of said branching conduit portions and each closable in response to increase of pressure in the branching conduit portion to which it is connected.

2. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said exhaust controlling valve elements are mechanically connected by a force transmitting member movable by the closing of one of said elements to open the other.

3. Means as defined in claim 1 including a spring biasing the first mentioned diverting valve to a position to connect the first mentioned one of said branching conduit portions to the inlet and disconnect said other branching conduit portion from the inlet.

4. Means as defined in claim 1 including a spring biasing the first mentioned diverting valve to a position to connect the first mentioned one of said branching conduit portions to the inlet and disconnect said other branching conduit portion from the inlet, and spring means biasing the second diverting valve to a position to connect said other branching conduit portion to one of said other two outlets.

5. Means as set forth in claim 1 wherein that one of said exhaust controlling valve elements connected to said other branching conduit portion is connected thereto through the second diverting valve.

6. Valvular controlling means for regulating the starting and stopping and direction of movement of a fluid-driven motor or the like comprising a valve body having an inlet, an inlet diverting valve therein having a pair of outlets, said body having a fluid delivery port communicating with one'of said outlets, a second diverting valve in said valve body having its inlet connected to the other of said outlets, said second diverting valve having a second pair of outlets, said body having another fluid delivery port communicating with one outlet of said second pair of outlets, said fluid delivery port being adapted to be connected to a reversible motor device or the like, said'body having a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port, orifice portions connecting one of said exhaust ports to both of said fluid delivery ports, exhaust valve means arranged to alternatively closeoii communication between said last-mentioned exhaust port and either one or the other of said orifice portions, and means responsive to the pressure of fluid delivered to said outlets which communicate with said fluid delivery ports for shifting said exhaust valve means. 7

7. Means as set forth in claim 6 wherein said second mentioned diverting valve has one outlet connecting to said second exhaust port formed in the body. 7

8. Means as set forth in claim 6 wherein said exhaust valve means comprises a pair of mechanically interconnected three-way valves shif-table simultaneously to connect said last-mentioned exhaust port to one of said orifices while interrupting communication between said exhaust port and the other orifice 9. Means as set forth in claim 6 including a spring biasing each of said diverting valves to a position providing communication between its inlet and the outlet thereof which communicates with one of said fluid delivery ports. 7

LE ROY s. DE MART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,013,232 Bridenbaugh Sept 3, 1935 2,354,960 Morehouse Aug. 1, 19% 

